What are the schools like in Bellevue, WA?

Bellevue is served primarily by Bellevue School District. The district operates 16 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, and 7 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 17.8:1.

What is the median household income in Bellevue?

The median household income in Bellevue, WA is $149,551 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 4.0%.

What is the weather like in Bellevue, WA?

Bellevue has an average high temperature of 47.4°F in January and 76.5°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 43.9 inches and annual snowfall averages 3.8 inches.

Bellevue, WA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Bellevue, WA affordable or expensive?

Bellevue's cost of living index is 113, where 100 represents the national average. This means Bellevue is 13% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $1,139,500 and the median rent is $2,422 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Bellevue, WA?

Bellevue has a violent crime rate of 138.6 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 3339.5 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Bellevue, WA a Good Place to Live?

Bellevue is a mid-sized city of 150,606 in Washington, with a median household income of $149,551 and a 4.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 113 (US average = 100), which is 13% above the national average.

Strengths: Bellevue stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices. Whether Bellevue is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Bellevue city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 113.0

Bellevue's overall cost of living index is 113.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Bellevue costs roughly 13% more than the average American city.

Metric	Bellevue, WA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$1,139,500	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$2,422	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	51.7%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$149,551	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Bellevue's violent crime rate is 138.6 per 100,000 residents — 64% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

138.6 /100k

Property Crime

3339.5 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Bellevue is served primarily by Bellevue School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.8:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Bellevue, WA	National Avg
School District	Bellevue School District	—
Elementary Schools	16	—
Middle Schools	5	—
High Schools	7	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	17.8:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	70.0%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	95.9%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Bellevue sees average highs of 47.4°F in January and 76.5°F in July, with 43.9 inches of annual precipitation and 3.8 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Bellevue, WA
Average High — January	47.4°F
Average High — July	76.5°F
Annual Precipitation	43.9"
Annual Snowfall	3.8"

Demographics

Metric	Bellevue, WA	National Avg
Population	150,606	—
Median Age	38.3	38.9
Unemployment Rate	4.0%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	23.6 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	47.2%	59.3%
Black or African American	2.6%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	6.1%	18.9%
Asian	39.5%	6.3%
Under 18	20.0%	22.2%
65 and over	14.6%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Beaux Arts Village, WA 2 mi Clyde Hill, WA 4 mi Mercer Island, WA 4 mi Yarrow Point, WA 4 mi Medina, WA 4 mi

ZIP Codes in Bellevue

Bellevue, WA is covered by 5 ZIP codes:

98006 98005 98008 98004 98007

Bellevue vs Other Cities

Bellevue, WA vs Beaux Arts Village, WA Bellevue, WA vs Clyde Hill, WA Bellevue, WA vs Mercer Island, WA Bellevue, WA vs Yarrow Point, WA Bellevue, WA vs Medina, WA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bellevue, WA affordable or expensive?

Bellevue's cost of living index is 113, where 100 is the national average. That puts Bellevue roughly 13% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $1,139,500 and median rent is $2,422/month.

What is the crime rate in Bellevue, WA?

Bellevue's violent crime rate is 138.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3339.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Bellevue?

Public schools in Bellevue are operated by Bellevue School District. The district has 16 elementary, 5 middle, and 7 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.8:1. 70.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Bellevue, WA a good place to live?

Bellevue, WA has a population of 150,606, a median household income of $149,551, and an unemployment rate of 4.0%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Bellevue?

Bellevue averages 47.4°F in January and 76.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 43.9 inches with about 3.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Bellevue?

Bellevue, WA is covered by 5 ZIP codes: 98006, 98005, 98008, 98004, 98007.

What is the population of Bellevue?

The population of Bellevue, Washington is 150,606 with a median age of 38.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Bellevue?

Key numbers for living in Bellevue: cost of living index 113 (100 = US average), median home $1,139,500, median household income $149,551, crime index 85 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Bellevue side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.